Today our walk was dedicated in honor of:
Army PVT LeRoy Elmer Borgstrom, Age 30 of Thatcher, Ut.
KIA Jun 22, 1944
Marine PFC Clyde Eugene Borgstrom, Age 28 of Thatcher, UT.
KIA Mar 17, 1944
Army Air Forces SGT Rolon Day Borgstrom, Age 19 of Thatcher, UT.
KIA Aug 8, 1944
Army PFC Rulon Jay Borgstrom, Age 19 of Thatcher, UT.
KIA Aug 25, 1944
World War II took the lives of many Utahns, but no family in the state sacrificed more for the Allied cause than Alben and Gunda Borgstrom of Thatcher, Box Elder County. Four of the five sons they sent off to battle died within a six-month period during 1944. “Few families in American history have been called upon to make such a tremendous sacrifice for the cause of freedom and liberty,” one speaker noted at ceremonies honoring the Borgstrom brothers in 1946.
LeRoy Elmer Borgstrom was born April 30, 1914, in Thatcher. Like all his brothers he attended Bear River High School and was a farmer before the war. He was drafted into the Army on November 7, 1942, and sent to Oregon to train with a medical unit of the 361st Infantry, 91st Division. He was shipped overseas in March 1944 and participated in battles in Africa and Italy. He was killed in action in Italy on June 22, 1944.
Clyde Eugene Borgstrom was born February 15, 1916, in Penrose, Box Elder County. He enlisted in the Marines on October 14, 1940, before the U.S. was officially involved in the war, and was among the first Bear River Valley men to enter the service. He received basic training in San Diego where he was assigned guard duty until shipped overseas with an aviation engineering unit. He participated in various island battles in the South Pacific. He was killed in action on March 17, 1944, at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
Twin brothers Rolon Day and Rulon Jay Borgstrom were born May 5, 1925, in Tremonton. The boys were drafted into the Army on July 7, 1943, two weeks after their high school graduation. Rolon trained at Camp Walters, Texas, where he passed an examination to enter the Air Corps. After further training in mechanics, aerial gunnery, and combat, he was shipped overseas in June 1944 as an aerial gunner. He died in England on August 8, 1944, of injuries suffered during a bombing mission over France and Germany. Rulon, also a gunner on a heavy bomber, was killed in action on August 25, two and a half weeks after his twin. Rulon, initially reported as missing in action, was not confirmed dead for several months.
Boyd Carl Borgstrom, born July 21, 1921, in Thatcher, had enlisted on October 14, 1940, with his brother Clyde. Upon news that his fourth brother was missing in action, Boyd was shipped from the South Pacific to Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, where he was discharged on October 7, 1944.
We had a great 6.96 Mile walk today. We started out by driving to Fairfield Glade and walking the Red Trail. It was beautiful watching the sun come up on the trail. The trail was a 3 Mile hike. It was amazing. We then drove to Woodlawn Trail and walked it. It was a beautiful day to walk trails. Then I was dropped off at the War Memorial Park down town and walked the rest of the way home. We could not have had a more beautiful day to honor these heroes. I want to thank Candy for helping me honor these heroes and I want to thank everyone who honked, waved, and saluted in helping me honor these heroes. We had 68 honks. Thank you.
We will never forget these 4 brothers who gave their life for our Freedom !
Let’s say their names out loud..
.Army PVT LeRoy Elmer Borgstrom
Marine PFC Clyde Eugene Borgstrom
Army Air Forces SGT Rolon Day Borgstrom
Army PFC Rulon Jay Borgstrom
